Pubdate: Thu, 02 Jun 2011 Source: Wall Street Journal (US) Copyright: 2011 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. Contact: http://www.wsj.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/487 Author: Chris Bowers Note: Third of 3 letters responding to http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v11/n333/a10.html CALIFORNIA CONVICT RELEASE IS A FAILURE OF LEADERSHIP The Supreme Court order that California must release prisoners in order to reduce overcrowding calls attention again to why so many criminals are put behind bars in the U.S. There is ample evidence from other countries that crime isn't reduced when imprisonment is so liberally used as punishment. Our system of criminal justice should focus on imprisoning those whose crimes make them a threat to society in ways that will best be prevented by time in jail. There are other means of punishment and restitution that can be, for some crimes, more effective than continuing to be so reliant on incarceration. It's time for a fresh look at which crimes should be punishable by prison time. Chris Bowers Naperville, Ill. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D